The match was billed as a showdown between Mo Salah and Eden Hazard
Chelsea and Liverpool preserve unbeaten league records after Sturridge wondergoal
Chelsea 1 : 1 Liverpool
By Steve Clare, Stamford Bridge
Chelsea and Liverpool drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge to leave Manchester City top of the league but both with unbeaten league records. Both goals were of quality. Eden Hazard scored the opener in the 25th minute after a long run but Daniel Sturridge’s 30 yard late equaliser, his 4th goal in seven games, is an early candidate for Goal of the Season honours.
Chelsea will feel deprived having led for most of the match but Liverpool were probably worth a point in a game where they made – and missed – the better chances.
Most of the first half opportunities went Liverpool’s way.
An off form Mo Salah made space from Antonio Rudiger and lamentably curled the shot way wide on ten minutes, four minutes before Sadio Mane also shot wide. Roberto Firminho completed a hat trick of bad misses on 17 by firing too close to Chelsea keeper Kepa, but at least it was on target. Salah also fired an earlier effort straight at the keeper.
The visitors were made to pay for their profligacy.
In the 25th minute, Hazard ran onto a Mateo Kovacic through ball and finished superbly, the second time he has done so against Jurgen Klopp’s men this week. Perhaps Liverpool’s expensive keeper might have done better, but that is not to take anything away from the Belgian.
Rudiger cleared Salah’s effort off the line six minutes later but Chelsea reached the interval ahead, only marginally deservedly if at all.
The keeper’s best spell came at the start of the second half.
In the 58th minute, Kepa saved down low at his right hand post and at the other end Liverpool had cause to be grateful when Alisson saved well from another Hazard breakaway after a quickly taken free kick. Swiss Substitute Shaqiri missed what seemed like Liverpool’s best chance on 69 with the goal wide open.
Liverpool continued to press. David Luiz cleared a Firmino header off the line as Chelsea led a charmed life in the second half. The charm did not prove lengthy enough as with a minute of normal time left, substitute Sturridge curled in an amazing effort from long distance to earn Liverpool a deserved point.
Chelsea: Kepa Arrizabalaga; Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz; Mateo Kovacic (Ross Barkley 80′), Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard, Willian (Victor Moses73′), Olivier Giroud (Alvaro Morata,65′)
Liverpool: Becker; Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson (Naby Keita 78′), James Milner (Daniel Sturridge 87′), Roberto Firmino; Sadio Mane, Mo Salah (Xheridan Shaqiri 66′) Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Chelsea Unused Subs: Willy Caballero, Gary Cahill, Davide Zappacosta, Cesc Fabregas,
Liverpool Unused Subs: Simon Mignolet, Fabinho, Alberto Moreno, Joel Matip,
Referee Andre Marriner
Attendance:
